Display and vending cabinet



March 10, 1931. FERNGREN ET AL 1,796,014

DISPLAY AND -VENDING CABINET Filed May 26, 1928 4 SheetsSheet l Fiqfi Ii{i :i M -4: 1: i! i H i:' '1 :g 1! 6 14 "I i! 62 Fiq.2 75

I I q :14 l 17 i I INVENTORS March 1931- E. T. FERNGREN ET AL DISPLAYAND VENDING CABINET Filed M7131 26, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSMarch 10, 1931. E. T. FERNGREN ET AL DISPLAY AND VENDING CABINET 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 26, 1928 T NVEfi'L'gOQRS 'M 1. WA- W M"Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

31:00:: '1'. FEBNGBEN, or TOLEDO, 61110, AND GEORGE L. MESTLER, orROCHESTER, NEW YORK; sun mmmm assrenoa or ONE-EIGHTH T JULIA A.FERNGBEN,

OI TOLEDO, OHIO DISPLAY AND VENDING CABINET Application filed was, 1928.Serial No. 280,809.

This invention relates to that kind of show means to giveretailers,-principally grocers,

a weekly supply offreshly roasted coffee.

In order that the weekly or semi-weekly service of freshly roastedproduct, such as coffee may be successfully carried on to the advantageand satisfaction-0f all parties and to the benefit of the ultimateconsumer, it is necessary that a cabinet of this type be not only a gooddisplay machine, but it must also be so organized and constructed thatit will positivelyretain the good quality of the coffee or any otherlikewise sensitive product, while being otherwise time and laborsavingto the retailer, and practical in other aspects. 4

The first object of our inv'entionis to save the consumer the packagecost; the average coffee being packed in tin cans, glass jars and fancypa er containers. The reason coffee is thus pac ed is-to p'reserve thequality, but

' is ultimately passed on to the purchaser.

Our next object is to insure to the con-' sumer that the kind andquality of coffee retailed through our sealed-tight cabinet will havefull and complete body strength, flavor and aroma. Another object istogive the retailer a means whereby he may increase his coffee sale dueto the following reasons: First, our

counter-cabinet acts as a salesman, being in constant view, suggestingthe purchase of.

coffee. Second, the retail merchant can pass on the savingof packagecost to the intimate consumer. Third, the seal-tight arrange- 40mm ofour cabinet insures excellent-quality,

which is -.always fresh, also there isconsiderable'saving of time andlabor due to the fact that the approximate quantity of a fullhalf-poundor pound maybe iobtained by i 1 3 practically one operation.There is also conthis method is relatively costly, and this cost.

siderable benefitto the retailer in this, that he may purchase freshlyroasted coffee daily or weekly, as required, thereby eliminating therequirement of keeping a large supply of roasted coffee on hand in bags,bins or other 5 ,places which deteriorate the quality.

Another object resides in that our cabinet provides the wholesaler orcoffee roaster with a means whereby he may safely market his presentblends of coffee or any brand'at an actual saving in package costs,while the feature of our cabinet insures thequalities of his roastedproduct, keeping it fresh and free from contamination. 1

While mechanism of the general character here shown are not entirelyunknown, it is our belief that the features herein brought outconstituteboth novel and useful advances in this particular line of devices.

To facilitate the objects mentioned, our improved construction bringsinto coordinance a proper gravity feed or flow with means for measuringin half-pound and pound quantities and for automatically arresting'andcutting off gravity feed.

As granular materials such as tea and coffee, and particularly finelyground coffee, have a' tendency to pack, agitating means are provided toinsure prompt response to gravity action at time of measuring or drawingoff the material into the scoop shown. 7

The construction also provides seal-tight and insulating features, sothat no air current may reach the material, to cause deterioration. 7

The main containing space of the base portion has closed offcompartments to redevice is provided which will normally preventmeasuring action, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

The usefulness of the cut-off mechanism, and the divided scoop which areimportant features of the invention, as well as the therewith relatedagitating means and controlfeatures of feed, will be now fully explainedin the specification and claims.

In the drawings y V Figure 1 shows the dispensing container inelevation;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the bottom cover, showing partitionscarried thereby;

Figure 3 is a side view of the same;

. Figure 4 is an edge view of the same;

Figure5 is a vertical section of the lower portion of the container;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing one type of scoop;

Figure 7 is a vertical section on line 7 of Figure 8 is an elevation ofthe upper portion of the container, partly in section, showing thelocking and sealing means for the ring and glass cylinder;

Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure 8 showing sealing and locking meansof the top to the ring;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the baseand valve arrangement;

bottom cover or plate 14 w Figure 11 is a sectional perspective of thevalve lock and means for adjusting the throw of the lever forcontrolling the valve action, and glass cylinder; v c

Figure 12 is a detail section of a modified formof the oscillating meansfor agitating materials in the spout.

The base portion 13 is provided with a ich has adownwardly inclined wallterminating at its extenor peripher in an upturned-side wall portions15. ounted onthe plate are partition walls 17, which are shaped to haveedges fit snugly against the inner face of the base where the bottomlate is secured fast to the corner lugs at t e inner side of thelowerrim of the base. See Fig. 7. The purposes of the partition walls 17 areto divide the inner space of the base into two inaccessible closed sidechambers and one accessible central com artment. which latter by thepositioning of shaped tocon orin line ofthe scoo 1' in proper locationrelative to the feed mou in the scoo 23, see Fig. 7. By thisarrangementthe closed air spaces 20 will act to insulate the baseagainst sudden temperature changes.

the walls 17 is, l somewhat with the outi-f 18 and thus keep the scoo flockedjwhen the scoop is removed to preer surface of the mouth or loweropening 23 of said spout by means of the lever 25, see Figs. 5 and 10,which lever is fulcrumed at 26 by means of thepin 27, the slottedportion 28 of the base assembly providing clearing space for areciprocative movement of the lever 25 when the handle 29 is moved toright or left of its normal position in which said lever is held bymeans of two springs 30 of which one only is shown in Figure 10. Whenthe lever is moved, the valve Plate 24 is thereby moved to expose oropen a sideportion of the mouth or opening 23 of the spout 19.

When this occurs the material held in the spout will drop or flow downinto that compartment of the scoop 18 which lies directly therebeneaththus filling the same about as indicated by the dotted lines 31 in Figs.5

V the spout. The lever handle is then released which allows the springs30 to' restore the lever to its central position and during thismovement the valve plate .24 sweeps across the mouth 23 of the spout 19,closing that portion of this opening which was previously. exposed; thedownturned edge 32 (Figure -7) of the valve moving the material inwardlyto prevent it running over the outer sidesof the scoop 18 as the valve.cuts ofi the feed. A further function of the downturned edges on thevalve plate 24 is that these ed es will tend to reduce the flow of-thegran ar material in the. direction of movement of the valve 24, also aslight downcurve .of the edges will prevent liability of a grindingfriction with thelower edge of the spout.

The spiral spring member 33 shown in Fig. 7 which is attached at 34 tothe valve plate 24, functions as anagitator in the material above thevalve, so that when the valve is moved to the right or left, thisspring.

will break the inter-material empty space usually formed in closelypacked granular materials when some of the material is allowed to runout from the bottom of a ile of such material, and force the materia toflow freely through the exposed opening of the spout, the dotted spirallines 35 and 36 indicating right and left positions of'the sprin'g33caused by the movement of the ever 25.[ v a It is-essential that thelever 25 be kept Tvent accidental flow of the material from the spout;also it is desirable thatthe lever be locked when only partly orcarelessl moved III in order to preventtheoutflow of t e material intothe scoo when not uired.

This feature ehminates the lia ility of deterioration of the material'from ex sure, and also insures the purchaser of co ee, tea orother'materials that the usual quality of this merchandise or guaranteedbrands be maintained. This locking feature is best shown in Fig. 11, thebrac t37 being secured to the inner side of the base wall 38, carrying alocking pin 39 which is held in engagement with a recess or perforation40,

in the lever 25, by means of the spring41, whichspring bears against thecollar 42 of the pin 39, and the lower arm 43 of the bracket, thuscausing the upper tapered point 46 of the pin to lock the lever.

When releasing the lever for measuring movement the forked claw 44 whichis se cured to and projects from the inner wall of the rear end of thescoop, will engage the lower vhead 45 of the pin, and depress the pin,as the scoop is fully inserted, releasing the upper point 46 fromengagement-with the recess in the lever.

. we provide adjustable positive stop means 1 In order to overcome thevariation in weight of s1m11ar and also various materials,

for controlling the distance of the movement of the lever handle tothereby govern the amount of material passing from the spout into theplural .compartment scoop. This sto means comprises the slidable andcentm ly slotted members 47 one of which is shown in Fig. 11 and whichare in positive clamped down engagement on each side of the leverclearance path 28 by hexagon-headed screws 48; the process of adjustmentbeing to move the rlght and left slide pieces either toward or, from theadjacent side of the lever 25 a proper distance for right orleftmovement of the lever to allow a, proper quantit of material which is tobe drawn from t e spout to flow into either of the scoop compartments;the area of the spout opening uncovered by the valve 24 beingdeterminable by the position of the members 47 which are then tightenedsecurelyto the upper face of the base wall 49 by means of thehexagon-headed screws.

The size of he vertical stream flow of material from the spout into thescoop, has

' a bearing on the manner in which the material builds up in eachcompartment of the scoop during the charging or accumulation period ofthe required weight. P

i As certain kinds of roasting coffee are heavier and' less bulky thanother kinds, it followsythat the adjustment feature will wvary the sizeof flow opening and thereby the amount of deposit in the scoop, and isof practical value.

The upper rim-or collar portion 50 of the base 13 is secured thereto bymeans of the spout cars 51 and the overlapping edge 52 of the'spout'which edge fits over the upper edge 53 of theinner wall portion 54 ofthe collar 50,. the cars 51 having holes 55, through which screw means-56which may be either {the-rod, shown i-n 'Fi 7, or the regulating rgw,indicated in -1g."5,. pro ect down-.

Iwardly-intothreaded' bores 57 of-lus 58'at the upper end of base 13,thereby holding the spout fast to the base, and also the collar 50.

The collar 50 has formed therein an annular recess, which recessfunctions to receive and to firmly hold the lower end 61 of anopen-ended glass cylinder 62. This lass member, which may be of anysuitable s ape lapping flange or projection 69 which fits into a recess70 formed at one side of the edge wall of the capped top lid 71. Thisprojecting flan e acts as a catch which in cooperation wit the lockstaple 72 fastened to the ring 65 and the slotted portion 73 of the toplid 71 serves to securely fasten the lid to the rin shown) is attacheperforation 73 therein.

when a padlock (not In order. to form a seal-tight compart-- ment of thecontaining space in the glass cylinder, plastic material 75 is placedbetween the upper edge of the cylinder and the rin 65, and also betweenthe lowered edge 0 the' lid and the flange rim 63. To further insurethis feature, a similar packing 76 may also be placed between theoverlapping spout rim 52, and upper edge 53 of the inner wall of thecollar 50.

The showing in Fig. 12 relates to a difi'erent form of agitating means,the spout 19 having mounted therein at 77 the oscillating member 78which is caused to swing to the right or left when the valve plate ismoved,

the slotted portion 80 engaging the lower end of the a 'tating member.This form will be foun useful in positively driving the material in thespout toward that side thereof which -isopen when the valve plate 24. ismoved, thus causing considerable agitation and breaking up any vacantspace present between the particles of the material which is to beground from the spout.

When a cablnet such as herein shown is tightlysealed at all points andthe material such as finely ground or whole bean coffees are drawntherefrom, vacant spaces are produced which tend to reduce the action ofgravity on the material. This is one reason why the spout is shaped asshown in thev res; particularly it is important various fi that the 1ower end be shaped as shownyafs pgethis particular shaping the materialat extreme lower "endof the '1 spout will be to the lock staple at IOUfreefrom any impeding support from the movement from the up er portionof the spout to replace the falhng particles and in this way aninstantaneous stream flow of the material into the scoop is securedwithout the need on the part of the operator to otherwise manuallyassist the discharge from the spout.

We claim:

1. In a merchandising counter case the combination of a display sectionand a hollow base having an opening, a scoop having at one end means toclose said opening and also having separated measuring elements forobtaining separate quantities from the material held in the displaysection and'a valve in the base above the scoop and movable in onedirection to allow material to flow into one element and in the.opposite direction to allow the material to flow into another element ofthe scoop. 1,

2. In a display case for servicing freshly roasted coffee and likematerials to the retail trade a combination of a display element, of abase element, and a top cover element, with means for sealing therespective elements togetherto preclude air movements through thedisplay element, and other means associated with the base element forpartly insulating the same a ainst temperature changes, said meansorming closed air chambers in the side portions of the base element. I3. The combination with a base of adisplay cabinet and vendingmachine,'of a flow-. spout, a cut-01f valve and agitating means mountedon said valve for stirring thematerial in the flow-spout at the time ofmovement of the valve, a measuring device below the valve havinge aplurality of compartments the valve ing movable in one direction to fillone compartment and in another direction to fill another compartmentwhile the measuring device remains stationary.

4. A display cabinet having a base section .and a spout inside the basesection, a cut off valve for the'spout, adjustable means to limit themovement of the out 01f valve, a measuring device below the cut oilvalve cooperative with said adjustable meansto accurately determine theamount of material that may pile up in the measuring device, said measurmg device be' movable into and out of the base section independently ofthe cut ofi valve.

5, A-display cabinet having a base section and a spout inside the basesection, a cut of! valve for the spout having a handle extendin outsidethe base 'sectionwhereb the cut 0 valve may be moved, adjustab e meansvice having a plurality of compartments and adjustable means to regulatethe amount of movement of the cut oil valve to measure the amount ofmaterial passing through the spout into the different compartments ofthe;

measuring device.

7. In a cabinet for vending granular materials the combination of acasing, a two compartment scoo having a single outlet mouth through w'ch material may pass from both compartments said scoop beingmovableinto and out of the casing andmeans in the casing movable independentlyof the scoop to allow the material to flow into either compartment ofthe scoop.

8. A display cabinet comprising a transparent display section, a basesection and a top cover for the display section, air excluding packingbetween said sections and a measuring device movable into and out of thebase section said base section having an opening therein and means onthe measuring device to close said opening when said measuring means islocated in the base the base section having partition walls on eitherside of said measuring means to form dead air chambers in said basesection.

'9.- A display cabinet having a base section, a spout therein and a cutoil valve below the spout pivoted in the base section for movement. fromleft to right, a measuring device movable into and out of the basesection and having a partition extending from front to rear of the basesection below said cut off valve said partition dividing the measuringdevice into two compartments one of which may befilled when the cut ofivalve is moved to the left and the other of which may-be filled when thecut ofi valve is moved to the right.

10. In a cofiees and like materials from a cabinet, a out 01f valve forthe cabinet arranged beneath the same, a plural compartment scoop belowthe cut oil valve, said valve be' movable to allow materials to flowfrom said cab-.-

inet to either compartment of the scoop while preventing the flowsimultaneously to m'orethan one compartment.

11. In a display cabinet, the combination of a hollow base aving an opeg means within the base for measuri ofl' half dispensing device formeasuring therein, a transparent display section above thebase,

rial held in the display seetion, said means including a spout, amovable cut ofi valve I at the lower end of the spout and a pluralcompartment scoop movable into and out of the opening in sa1d base.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto aflixed our names and signaturesthis twenty-second day of May, 1928.

ENOCH T. FERNGREN. GEORGE L. M'ESTLER.

